If you've never experienced serious hail—we're talking golf-ball-sized chunks of ice (or larger) raining down on you—consider yourself lucky. It can do serious damage to your property, your home, and unless it's wrapped in this gigantic external airbag, your car.

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When the weather is fair, the Hail Protector looks like your run-of-the-mill car tarp that's protecting your vehicle from scratches, bird bombs, and the sun's rays. But when the weather turns nasty, using an included remote it can be inflated in about five minutes to protect your car from chunks of hail, even as large as softballs its creators claim.

And so you don't have to keep your eye on the weather 24/7, there's even an accompanying mobile app you can download that will warn you of impending storm and hail conditions an hour before they strike so you can ensure your ride is protected. If it saves you from having to replace a windshield or having a dent removed, the $300 to $400 price tag is a relatively cheap way to avoid a hefty repair bill. [Hail Storm Products via Gizmag]